Turkey's Sat-Launcher Plans Raise Concerns

ANKARA — Turkey has approved construction of its first satellite launching center to cater for the countrys mushrooming satellite programs. But Ankaras western allies worry that the Turks intend to use their own launching pad to fire the long-range missiles they hope to build in the medium- to long-run. Turkeys procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), in early July signed a contract with the countrys national missile manufacturer, Roketsan, to build the Turkish Satellite Launching System (UFS) for pre-conceptual design work. Under the contract, Roketsan will design the UFS to be capable of launching, initially, satellites into low earth orbit (500 to 700 kilometers) through a launching center the company will build and the Turkish Air Force will operate. We intend to end Turkeys foreign dependency on launching military and [civilian] com...